Buy This! Posts

Playing Mom’s 2nd Annual Holiday Toy Guide

Ready for some holiday shopping?

Wait, you already spent Thanksgiving night sleeping in a tent to get a great deal at Target on Black Friday?

I’m too late and you’re already done?

Yikes.

Okay, well for those of you who know that the deals only get better as it gets closer to the holidays, I’m ready with some great suggestions for toys for kids ages 0-9. I give you Black Friday shoppers a lot of credit for braving those crazy lines and people. I totally understand the desire to get the hot toys before the sell out and to get those family and workplace gifts out of the way so you can avoid the December Dash. That being said, I’ve spent the last few weeks scouring some of the top toy store and internet sites, coupled with reviews from toy experts, parents and most importantly - the kiddos themselves! The lovely people at Toys ‘R Us and Target along with online retailer Amazon.com assured me that the merchandise that flew off the shelves over the past week will continue to be restocked daily so (for the most part) don’t fret!

I’m a fan of classic children’s movies and especially fond of books, but for the sake of brevity here, I’m going to stick with toys (no video games, either). But please, while you’re at your favorite store or shopping online – don’t forget to grab a few books (nothing like a book to stimulate a child’s ever-growing imagination) and maybe a movie or two!

And if you are fortunate enough that you can give, please consider donating toys to children in need. Nothing demonstrates the spirit of the holidays (and teaches children about compassion) more than the act of giving.

So without further ado, here are my choices for Top 10 Toys for Girls and Boys in 3 age categories (there is category overlap as children have different levels of fun with toys regardless of the recommended age range). Some of these are new and trendy picks for 2011. Enjoy and feel free to weigh in with your own reviews or add some to the list!

(Note: Some links are to specific retailers – this is in no way an endorsement for the lowest prices available, as they change daily.)

Top 10 Toys – 0-3 Years

Top 10 Toys – 3-6 Years

Top 10 Toys – 6-9 Years

If you haven’t found what you’re looking for in the lists above, you may want to look at the list below for additional ideas… (There are thousands of great classic toys that aren’t on these lists – if you want even more ideas, feel free to shoot me an e-mail. I have lots of fun thinking of toys that will make great gifts!)

Cloud B Twilight Turtle/Ladybug
Power Wheels or Fisher Price ride-ons
Train sets and train table
Melissa and Doug puzzles, cutting food, arts and crafts, magnetic dress-up, standard unit blocks, See and Spell and more
Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Learning Home
Sit n Spin
My Keepon
Kidkraft wooden toys – dollhouses, firehouses, kitchens and more
Shopping cart, play food and kitchen
Baseball, T-Ball, football, basketball, soccer and other sports equipment
Lego
Easel and arts & crafts
Magic Set
Angry Birds Plush with Sound
Bikes, skates and scooters
Dolls and playsets
Perplexus
Action figures – Transformers, Super Heroes, etc.
Baby dolls, strollers and doll furniture
Cooking set
Marble run
My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic
Talking Planetarium
Vanity
Colorforms
LiteBrite
Leapfrog’s LeapPad/Leapster/Scribble and Write/Tag Reader/Text and Learn and more
Step 2 Up and Down Roller Coaster
Fisher Price Brilliant Basics Baby’s First Blocks
Learn & Groove Musical Table
Piano/keyboard/guitar/drums and other instruments
Cash register
Doctor’s kit
Monster High
Nerf
Teaching time clock
Styling head
Rocking horse
Fashion studio/car studio with lightbox
Puppet Theatre
Karaoke machine
Radio Flyer wagons
Stomp rockets
Snap n Style
Cardboard playhouse
Telescope
Snap Circuits SC-300
School set/responsibility chart
Playskool Alphie
Lite Sprites
Bananagrams, Blokus, Qwirkle, Bop It, Chutes and Ladders, Spot It, Scrabble Flash and other board games
Plasmacar
Digital camera – Kid Tough See Yourself camera
Fridge Phonics/Fridge DJ
Tunnels and tents
Imaginext playsets
Train sets, cars, buses, planes and things that go
Easy Bake Oven
Talking USA Map/geography puzzles
Science kits
Zillionz Savings Goal ATM
Musical Pass the Pickle
R/C Cars and Trucks
Soccer Guys/Baseball Guys, etc.
Polly Pockets
Art table
Dress up clothes and accessories
Tea set
Shrinky Dinks
Lacing toys
Make your own jewelry sets
Pillow Pets/Happy Nappers
Laptop
Purse/wallet
Sticker books
Toolbench and tools/construction set
Zoobles
Vtech Mobigo
Play Doh, Moon Dough
Animal Planet
Eduscience

HAPPY SHOPPING, EVERYONE!

Posted by Dani in Buy This!, Holiday stuff, Lists and tagged with 2011 Holiday Toy Guide, Crayola Glow, Fijit, Lalaloopsy, LeapPad Explorer, LEGO, Let's Rock Elmo, Ninjago, Top Toys of 2011, VTech Innotab, Wall Tracks

Hair it is, Folks – Princessories is Now Open for Business!

We’re officially launched over at Princessories – www.myprincessories.com!

What does that mean, you ask?

In case you’ve been living under a tree or just gave up on reading my nonsense, I’ve been making hair accessories out of my dining room between the hours of 11pm-2am for months. When I realized Alexa doesn’t even LIKE hair accessories and tries to eat them, I decided to sell them to you. Not the ones with saliva on them, but ones that just LOOK good enough to eat.

So come on over and take a look at our selection. There may very well be nothing to see because I expect the site to be completely sold out by noon. But in the slim chance that I’m wrong, make sure you use discount code LAUNCH11 at checkout to receive 10% off your entire order now through September 30.

Happy Shopping to all!

Posted by Dani in Buy This! and tagged with discount code for 10% off, hair accessories, Princessories launch, www.myprincessories.com

New Ways To Spend Your Money

Hi everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July weekend!

I figure better to post about something other than the Casey Anthony verdict because I’m having trouble with that one tonight…

So… I’ve met a few people recently who ooh-ed and aah-ed over some products I use for the kids, so I wanted to share these with you. Hopefully, one (or more) of them can help you in some way.

1. Stearns Puddle Jumpers

These life jackets are Type V US Coast Guard Approved and although the company makes clear that this product is not a lifesaving device, I have never felt more safe with my kids in the water. These cute, fun-to-wear jackets provide easy range of motion for kids and keep their heads above the water. Although I am always in close range, I know that Ryan can swim freely and safely without having to hold him. Now that’s what I call a lifesaver!

Puddle Jumpers can be found in Target, Walmart, on Amazon.com and direct from the website at http://www.stearnsflotation.com/Kids-Life-Jackets-C26.aspx.

2. Tiny Bites Food Shears

Concerned over safe consumption size of food for older infants and toddlers, New York parents Ed and Anila Nitekman designed and created the award-winning Tiny Bites Food Shears. They allow parents to safely and easily cut their child’s food into small pieces, quickly turning any food into perfect “finger foods”, bite-sized pieces, easy-to-eat strips, fun shapes or sizes. Tiny Bites Food Shears is a proud “Winner of The National Parenting Centers – Seal of Approval – 2010″ and “Winner of The Mom’s Choice Awards – 2010″. I never thought I needed these, but if you’ve ever tried to cut pizza for your whining kid with a knife and fork, cut grapes, or make a bagel bite-sized without sacrificing the cream cheese, this product is for you!

Tiny Bites come in a package of two – one for home, one for the diaper bag. They are BPA-free, dishwasher safe and come with a protective blade cover. Tiny Bites can be found at Buy Buy Baby, Babies R Us and direct from their website at http://www.tinybites.com/.

3. Munchkin Snack Catchers

No more Cheerios all over the car seat. Well, kind of. Alexa manages to make a mess anyway, but less of a mess than if I gave her a Ziploc bag full of snacks. The snack catcher keeps bite-sized foods inside the domed container until little grubby fingers pick them out.

You can find the Snack Catcher at Toys R Us, Bed Bath & Beyond, Amazon.com, Toys R Us, Diapers.com, Drugstore.com and direct from Munchkin’s website at http://www.munchkin.com/products/detail.html?pID=905.

Some other notables:

Melissa & Doug Sunny Patch Tootin’ Turtle Sprinkler http://www.buybuybaby.com/Product.asp?SKU=124448
Banzai Toy Story Buzz Rocket Blast Sprinkler (didn’t get great reviews on this site, but we had a blast with it over the weekend!) http://www.target.com/Banzai-Story-Rocket-Blast-Sprinkler/dp/B002T3603W#communityReviews
Yoplait GoGurt portable lowfat freeze-n-go yogurt http://www.yoplait.com/products/yoplait-gogurt-yogurt
White Noise app by TMSOFT for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/white-noise/id289894882?mt=8

Any other products you thought you didn’t need but it ended up as a have-to-have-it? Please share!

Posted by Dani in Buy This! and tagged with Casey Anthony verdict, GoGurt, Melissa and Doug sprinklers, Munchkin Snack Catchers, Stearns Puddle Jumpers, Tiny Bites Food Shears, Toy Story Rocket Blast sprinkler, White Noise app by TMSOFT

Go The F-ck To Sleep

Here it is, folks!

A_Kid’s_Book_(3)[1]

Posted by Dani in Buy This! and tagged with Go The F-ck To Sleep

The Boon Spoon

Have you ever used a product that was so ingenious, you slap yourself for not having invented it first?

A product that causes people to stop you on the street and ask about it?

Fourteen people stopped me in just two days at Disney World to ask about THE BOON SPOON.

What does it do? It dispenses baby food and eliminates the mess of jars, spoons and Ziploc bags that take up space in your diaper bag.

Even better, it’s one-handed feeding! Baby won’t dip her hand into the jar! It’s BPA, pthalate and PVC-free and goes into the dishwasher! Do I sound excited?? I am!

If you’ve tried it and don’t think it’s fabulous, you need to get your head checked. If you haven’t tried it, DO IT NOW!

It looks like a spoon head with a bright bulb on the end of it.

Simply unscrew the spoon head, fill the bulb with food, screw it back on and voila! When you’re finished, cover the spoon with the washable plastic cap and throw it back in your bag.

I wish I could say this was a paid posting, but I was not compensated in any way for pushing you out the door in your jammies to get this product. (But hey, Boon, if you’re out there, I could use another one to keep at home…)

Where do you get it? Good question.

Get it here.

Use it in public and you’ll be more popular than you ever dreamed you’d be in high school.

You’re welcome.

Posted by Dani in Buy This! and tagged with Boon Spoon, Boon Squirt Baby Food Dispensing Spoon, http://www.booninc.com

Picky Eater update – he ate tomato sauce!

Got an overwhelming personal response to my recent post on picky eating (next time do me a favor and comment on the blog so everyone can see!) and wanted to post an update that kind of goes along with Jessica’s comment about veggies hidden in tomato sauce. Of course Jessica scores points with me because she actually cooks, rather than just prepares, but we all know how I feel about cooking. Moving on…

Last night, I introduced Ryan to a meal that I picked up at Whole Foods in the frozen aisle as I was whizzing by – Kidfresh Totally Twisted Pasta + Meatballs. It was aesthetically pleasing, all natural with tons of hidden veggies inside. I had plain pasta waiting in the wings so I figured why not try a whole meal?

He ate about a quarter of the pasta and none of the meatballs. I considered it a wild success because Ryan had never eaten a tomato or allowed tomato sauce to cross his palate. WIN!

Fast forward to this morning. I woke up, scrolled sleepily through my e-mails and stopped when saw a message from a guy I went to college with that was in Cory’s fraternity. Apparently he and his wife are fans of my blog. He was a senior when I was a freshman and I was slightly in love with him and his two friends (sorry beautiful-wife-who-reads-my-blog, but I’m sure you know he’s a nice looking dude and of course you’re gorgeous – sigh). Anyway, he is involved with Kidfresh and wanted to suggest something new for Ryan’s rotation.

I asked if he was somehow in my kitchen last night because I had just introduced Ryan to Kidfresh.

Nope, just a weird coincidence. He suggested I cut up the meatballs and sneak them in on a fork and sprinkle some parm cheese on top. There are more meal varieties coming out soon as well and we’ll be sure to try again. Did I mention Ryan had tomato sauce?!?

Run, don’t walk, to the site to print out a coupon and check out the product line.

Enjoy!

Posted by Dani in Buy This!, Reader letters and tagged with Kidfresh, picky eater, tomato sauce, Whole Foods

Tired toys? Outgrown outfits?

Shameless plug – my friend Tiffany owns Baby Chic NY - an awesome children’s consignment boutique on Long Island that I think you’ll really like. Whether you’re in the vicinity or across the country, Baby Chic NY also has a wonderful website where you can buy new boutique or pre-loved items at a fraction of the retail price. (See bottom of my sidebar to check it out for yourself.)

I bought some amazing outfits and accessories for Lexi at the store and I have also sold some of the kids’ once-worn clothing and outgrown toys to help pay for my Baby Chic shopping habit!

Happy shopping!

Posted by Dani in Buy This! and tagged with Baby Chic NY, consignment boutique

Playing Mom’s 1st Annual Holiday Toy Guide

It’s here! Check it out at my Amazon Store (which can also be found at the bottom of the sidebar). I choose Amazon because I like the comprehensive user reviews, low prices and Amazon Prime FREE 2-Day Shipping.

I’m working on categorizing the list, but as of today there are 150+ of the hottest new toys of 2010 (and some old favorites) for you to look at for ages 0-5.

Enjoy and check back throughout the week for new additions!

Posted by Dani in Buy This!, Holiday stuff, Lists and tagged with Amazon, holiday toy guide, sing a ma jigs

“Quiet Time”

When Ryan was 2.5, his naps gradually grinded to a halt. He would spend time in his room talking to himself, singing and not sleeping, and I was no longer able to nap as a result. No naps = one unhappy Mommy.

So we implemented Quiet Time, with the rule that he had to stay in bed and play quietly until I came in to get him. Knowing children thrive on routine and predictability, I bought a Time Tracker so that Ryan would know when Quiet Time ended. It looks like a traffic light and you can set the amount of time you want each color to be lit. (It’s kind of backwards for my purpose because it starts with green and then goes to yellow and ends on red, basically because it’s promoted as a test timer or something where you’re looking for a visual “Time’s Up!”) Sometimes Ry would fall asleep, other times he would bang his stuffed animals together. Didn’t matter to me – I just relished listening to myself breathe.

Now at 3.5, he’s allowed to read, play, do anything but jump out of the window during quiet time as long as he stays in his room. The tracker is still a welcome novelty. If you have a young toddler who is tired of being tired, implement this before it’s too late.

Posted by Dani in Buy This! and tagged with naps, quiet time, time tracker

Favorite Children’s Books

I love children’s books. When I took a Children’s Literature class for my Masters in Education, I re-read hundreds of books that I enjoyed as a child and devoured a new generation of classics in addition. For a friend’s baby shower that year, I asked each guest to bring one children’s book of their choice for the Mommy-to-be. The result was a beautifully well-rounded library of literature that would delight her family for years to come.

This list is far from complete, but I am excited to share with you my list of favorite children’s books from birth through Kindergarten, complete with links to reader reviews and options to purchase each book on Amazon. I have read each and every one of these books and worked hard to create this list so please feel free to share with friends and family, but please give credit to www.playingmom.com if you plan to do so. Thanks!

I will update this list as our home library grows, but in the meantime please comment with your own additions and I will be happy to add them to my readers’ favorites. I also hope to add books for older readers as time goes on that includes classics like Charlotte’s Web, The Chronicles of Narnia, James and the Giant Peach, the Harry Potter series and Judy Blume classics.

Enjoy!

Baby – Young Toddler

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin Jr./Eric Carle

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr.

No, David! by David Shannon

Peek A Who by Nina Laden

The Going To Bed Book by Sandra Boynton

Good Night, Gorilla by Peggy Rathmann

Where Is Baby’s Belly Button? By Karen Katz

Pat the Bunny by Dorothy Kunhardt